Missile handling trailer



May 19, 1964 L. BERNER MIssILE HANDLING TRAILER ATTORNEY May 19, 1964BERNER MIssILE HANDLING TRAILER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 16, 1962 NN Q@QN mm mw mm mf a.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 NTI. Q Q

May 19, 1964 l.. BERNER MISSILE HANDLING TRAILER Filed May 16, 1962United States Patent C) 3,133,654 MISSILE HANDLING TRAILER Leo Berner,Pasadena, Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to the United Statesof America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed May 16,1962, Ser. No. 196,562 12 Claims. (Cl. 214-501) This invention relatesto a material handling vehicle and more particularly to a new andimproved trailer for handling heavy loads such, for example, as amissile or missile components. As is well known, it is common practicein the art of missile handling and launching to store and ship missilesand missile components in individual containers to an ultimate storagedepot and/ or a launching installation.

Missiles and missile components are made up of extremely delicatetuning, fuzing and firing mechanisms and, in many instances, explosivelysensitive components which, good safety practice dictates, must behandled with extreme care at all times while maintaining absolutephysical control over the unit. Additionally, in many instances suchmissile and components are of such volume and/or weight as to precludeeiiicient manual handling thereof. Likewise aerodynamic characteristicsof the overall coniiguration may be of a complexity so as to precludethe use of the normally available hoisting and transporting equipment asused in conventional industrial material handling.

In accordance with the present invention a new and improved cargo ormaterial handling vehicle is provided which particularly well adaptedfor hoisting, handling and transporting a load of the aforementionedcharacter. More specifically, the present invention provides a handlingtrailer constructed and arranged to pick up a missile or missilecomponent or stage package from a horizontal position on the ground orfrom the deck of a railroad iiat car or machine tool, transfer thepackage containing a missile or component, as the case may be, from ahorizontal position to a vertical position or for lowering it onto abelow ground test stand or below ground into casting pit or onto thetrailer for transportation.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide animproved cargo or material handling vehicle which is particularly welladapted for handling and transporting a missile package or load of theaforo-mentioned character.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved highlymaneuverable trailer having hoisting apparatus and stabilizing structurefor steadying the trailer during a handling operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved mobile cargohandling trailer having a simple, light, yet rugged and efficient cargohoist arrangement thereon as well as load carrying cradles which willreceive and support the load during transit, independent of the hoistingarrangement.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an improvedmissile trailer constructed and arranged to facilitate the handling andtransporting operations incident to the procedures practiced withpresent day missiles.

It is a further object to provide a new and improved material handlingmechanism which overcomes all of the shortcomings of material handlingdevices heretofore or now in general use while providing all of thedesired advantages thereof.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following 3,133,654 Patented May 19 1964 ICC detaileddescription when considered in connection with the accompanying drawingswherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the missile trailer constructed andarranged in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the trailer with the pair ofmutually spaced booms thereof in a vertical position;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of one end of the jackscrew arrangement for the aforesaid booms;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View of the other end of thejack screw arrangement for the booms;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating the rear saddle andthe-stop device movable with the booms;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 7--7 of FIG.6;

FlG. 8 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 8 3 of FIG.l;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the jack screw motor andmounting arrangement therefor;

FIG. 10 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line lil-19 ofFIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line 11-11 ofFlG. 6, illustrating the driving connection between the stop device onthe booms and the rear saddle member.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. l therefor,the numeral 1t) generally indicates a trailer construction in accordancewith the present invention. The trailer comprises a chassis 11 havingmutually spaced side rails 12 connected by front and rear platforms 13and i4, as best shown on FiG. 2. To provide maximum maneuverability ofthe trailer, the forward end thereof is provided with a single pointsupport 15 connected to the front truck 16 in a conventional mannersuch, for example, as a universal joint, or the like, the truckincluding a pair of ground wheels 17 and a draw bar 18, the rear end ofthe trailer being provided with a pair of equalizer frames 19 pivotallymounted on a transverse axle or shaft 21 carried by the side rails 12.The equalizers 19 are mounted on the shaft 21 for independent rotationand each equalizer has mounted thereon a pair of ground wheels 22, FIGS.1 and 2.

A pair of booms generally indicated by the reference character 23 iscarried on the chassis 11, one of each of the pair of booms beingdisposed adjacent each side rail '12. The booms are carried by a shaft24 rotatably mounted on the side rails 12 in suitable bearing 25. Eachof the booms 23 are lof hollow construction and include wide walls 26connected by top and bottom walls 27 and 28, the bottom wall of eachboom having a slot Z9 formed therein, as best shown in FIG. 5, thepurpose of the slot being hereinafter more fully described. The booms 23are each provided with a sheave or pulley rotatably mounted at theterminal ends thereof on a shaft 32.

Each of the booms are provided with a jack mechanism generally indicatedby the reference character 33 and comprising an inner sleeve or support34 pivotally mounted between a pair of brackets 35, as at 36, carried byeach siderrail 12. An outer sleeve 37 is disposed about lthe innersleeve or support 34 and has secured thereto, as by bolts 38, a' sleevenut or actuating element 39. The sleeve 37 and sleeve nut 39 having asprocket 41 disposed therebetween and secured thereto by the aforesaidbolts 38, the sleeve 37 and sleeve nut 39 being rotatably supported onthe support 34, as by roller bearings, or the like, 42. The jackmechanism further includes a jack screw 43 in threaded engagement withthe sleeve nut 39, the jack screw extending through the aforesaid slot29 in bottom wall 28 of the boom and pivotally mounted between the sidewall 26 thereof as at 44. By the aforesaid arrangement and upon rotationof the sleeve nuts 39, the jack screws lassociated with each boom areadapted to move the booms to a desired position such, for example, asthe various positions shown in dashed outline, FIG. 1.

To facilitate rotation of the sleeve nuts 39 of each jack mechanism anelectric motor 45 is mounted on a bracket or support 46, the motor beingprovided fwith a sprocket 47. A sprocket chain 48 provides a drivingconnection between the sprocket 47 on the motor and sprocket 41 on eachof the sleeve nuts 39, as best shown on FIG. 8. The support 46 isprovided at each end thereof with a bearing 49 for receiving andallowing free rotation of the sleeve nut of each jack mechanism, FIG.l0.

A stop device or member generally indicated by the numeral 51 is carriedby the shaft 24 and includes a pair of mutually spaced hubs 52 securedto the shaft 24 in any conventional manner, and a platform 53 extendingtherefrom `and terminating in a lip or stop member 54, disposed at aright angle with respect to the platform. The stop device is secured tothe shaft 24 so that it moves in unison and concurrently with the booms.The shaft 24 further supports a rear saddle 55, the saddle beingdisposed between the hubs 52 of the stop device 51 and rotatably mountedon the cylindrical portion 56 of the shaft 24 so that the saddle 55rotates on the shaft a predetermined amount and independently of thetwin booms 23 during an initial hoisting operation such, for example, aswhen the booms 23 are in position 2 and the missile container C ishoisted from the aforesaid saddles 55 and 71, FIG. l.

The hoisting arrangement for the container C includes a pair ofsynchronized electrical motors 57 mounted on the platform 13, one foreach boom, as best shown on FIG. 2. Each motor is provided with a gearbox 58 containing conventional gear arrangements in driving connectionwith a cable drum 59 for imparting rotation thereto. The drums 59 eachcarry a hoisting cable 61 trained over the pulley 31 at the terminal endof each boom 23 and over a complementary pulley 62 disposed on oppositesides of the container C and thereafter secured -to their respectivepulleys 31. The pulleys 62 are carried by a split band 63 or harnessdisposed about the container C and secured thereto by a bolt and ear orlug arrangement, as at 64, as best shown on FIGS. 2 and 3.

The trailer is further provided with an arrangement for controlling thehorizontal or partially inclined position of the container after thecontainer has been hoisted from the aforesaid saddles. This arrangementincludes an electric motor 65 mounted on the platform 14 and having gearbox 66 containing conventional gear arrangement in driving connectionwith a cable drum 67 carrying a control cable 68 and having the free endthereof connected to an eye 69 secured to the front end of the containerC.

The reai saddle 55 cooperates with a front saddle 71 carried by the siderails 12 for receiving and supporting the container C duringtransportation, as best shown on FIG. l. It will be further noted inFIG. 1 that 'when the container is in a position for transportation thelip 54 on the stop device 51 engages the rear end of the loadedcontainer C and a chain or cable secured to eye 69 and connected to asimilar eye 73 carried by -the chassis, maintains the loaded containerin this position.

A forward substantially U-shaped Outrigger or supporting device 74comprising a surface engaging element 75 and a pair of mutually spacedarms 76 is mounted on the chassis, each arm being secured to androtatable with one of each of the shafts 36, FIGS. l and 4. A similarsubstantially `U-shaped Outrigger of supporting device 77 is mounted atthe rear end of the chassis and comprises a surface engaging element 70having an `arm 79 disposed at each terminal end thereof, the arms beingcarried and movable with shaft 81 rotatably mounted in extensions 82formed at the rear end of each side rail 12, FIGS. 2 and 3.

To actuate the outriggers 74 and 75 into and out of engagement with asurface, a shaft is mounted on one of the side rails 12, as by bearings80', the shaft being provided at one end with a worm 84 in drivingengagement with a worm Wheel 85 secured to one of the shafts 36, theshaft 80 being further provided at the other end thereof with a worm 86in driving engagement with a worm wheel 87 secured to the shaft 80. Acrank 88 or other suitable means may be provided for actuating the shaft80 so that the aforesaid outriggers 74 and 77 may be moved from aninitial position to an operating position thereby to maintain thetrailer or vehicle in a stabilized condition and to lock the trailer tothe surface of a floor or ground, as the case may be, during necessaryoperational procedures.

As best shown on FIGS. 6 and 7, the hubs 52 of the stop member 51 eachcarry a pin or detent 89 disposed with a complementary slot 91 formed inthe rear saddle 55 to facilitate free rotation of the saddle on theportion 56 of the shaft 24 so that it can move with the container C andindependent of the twin booms a predetermined amount. For example, whenthe booms are in the dashed line position 2, FIG. l and the container ishoisted by the hoisting cable 61 and hoisting motors 58, the lighterforward end of the container due to the fact that the harness andsleeves thereon are disposed forwardly of the center of gravity of thecontainer causes the lighter forward end of the container to be liftedfrom the front saddle while the heavier rear end thereof remains on therear saddle. Thus, by reason of the aforesaid slot and pin arrangementthe rear saddle will rotate independently of the booms a predeterminedamount. However, upon further movement of the booms away from position 2and by reason of the slot and pin arrangement the rear saddle willrotate with the booms. It will be further understood that after completeover head suspension of the container has been accomplished, theaforesaid control motor 65 and cable 68 secured to the eye 69 at theforward end of the container, controls the horizontal or partiallyinclined positions of the suspended load. Furthermore, to limit the loadon the jack screws 43 of the jack mechanism 33 and to hoist the loadwith efficient tackle position, the twin booms will only be loadedbetween positions 2 and 4, FIG. l, position 1 being the transporting ortraveling position for maximum overhead clearance, with the boomsresting on the front saddle 71 and the container C resting on saddles 55and 71. The booms are adapted to rotate in an empty condition frompositions l to 2 and raise or lower the load in position 2.

The aforesaid twin boom arrangement permits the passage of the loadbetween the booms for complete freedom for handling the load into anyposition from horizontal to vertical and vice versa. Moreover, by theaforesaid arrangement loads can be hoisted relatively high to be setvertically on a stand well above ground or it can be lowered below theground into a pit or the like. By booming far out beyond the rear end ofthe chassis to position 4 and by utilizing the control cable 68, theload may be picked up from or lowered into a horizontal position, aboveor below the ground by always maintaining the outer heavy end low. Atthe low light end position the conrtol cable 68 becomes ineffective. Inthese positions, therefore, control is accomplished by lthe hoistingtackle as long as ground contact is maintained on the heavy end of theload and until the light end of the load is high enough for control bythe control cable 68.

As illustrated, the jack mechanisms 33 serve to position the twin booms,which handle the load by means of sheaves 31 at the boom ends and lowersheaves 62 on container harness 63. Power to the sheaves is provided bythe aforesaid electric motors 57 and winch arrangements 59 mounted atthe forward end of the trailer chassis l1 and these units also serve ascounterweights for the extreme backward position of the booms. If sodesired, an additional permanent counterweight may be located in a boxor container 92 mounted at the forward end of the chassis 11, FlG. 1,the counterweight being used during a loading and unloading operationand may be removed to reduce the transport weight.

A further feature of the trailer design is that its initial cost isextremely low, which is accomplished first by not making the vehicleself-propelled, but by moving it by means of any conventional primemover and secondly by eliminating a costly independent power source onthe chassis to operate the hoisting and control Winches and the twoscrew jack mechanisms which manipulate the twin boom positions. Theaforesaid Winches and screw jack mechanisms are powered by simple andinexpensive electric motors, the motors being provided with suitableelectrical cables 93 connected to an electrical socket 94, thereby toprovide an external electrical connection for the motors. If desired,however, the trailer may be provided with a small power panel,accessible from the ground for control of the individual motors, eitherdirect or from pendant controls.

Gbviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. llt is, therefore, to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A load carrying and handling trailer comprising a rectangularchassis, a plurality of ground wheels attached to and supporting saidchassis, load receiving and supporting means mounted on said chassis,stabilizing means mounted on said chassis for interconnecting thechassis with the ground, means operatively connected to said stabilizingmeans for actuating the stabilizing means from an initial position to anoperating position, a pair of mutually spaced booms rotatably mounted onthe chassis, said booms being spaced so as to accommodate the loadtherebetween, jack means supported on the chassis and connected to saidbooms for operating the booms, operating means for said jack means, loadhoisting means supported on the chassis and cooperating with each of thebooms, pulley means .carried by each of the booms, complementary pulleymeans attached to the load, a first working cable operated by saidhoisting means and interconnecting the pulley means on the booms and theload for hoisting the load from said receiving and supporting means,load control means supported on the chassis, a second working cableoperated by said load control means for controlling the inclination ofthe load when the load has been hoisted from the receiving andsupporting means, and stop means rotatably mounted on the chassis andmovable in unison with the pair of booms for maintaining the load on thereceiving and supporting means during a load transporting operation.

2. A load carrying and handling trailer according to claim 1, whereinsaid stabilizing means includes a forward and rear substantiallyU-shaped Outrigger having ground engaging devices carried thereby.

3. A load carrying and handling trailer according to claim 1, whereinsaid load receiving and supporting means includes a front saddle fixedto said chassis and a rear saddle mounted on the chassis for rotationwith the load a predetermined amount during a hoisting operation.

4. A load carrying and handling trailer according to claim 1, whereinsaid stabilizing actuating means includes a shaft mounted on saidchassis and having a worm at each end thereof in driving connection withthe stabilizing means for moving the stabilizing means from said initialposition to said operating position.

5. A load carrying and handling trailer according to claim 1, whereinsaid jack means includes a pair of jack sleeves rotatably supported onthe chassis, a jack screw in threaded engagement with each of the jacksleeves and pivotally connected to each of the booms, and a supportingsleeve pivotally mounted on the chassis and disposed within each jacksleeve for rotatably supporting each sleeve.

6. A load carrying and handling trailer according to claim 1, whereinsaid operating means includes a motor in driving connection with thejack means.

7. A load carrying and handling trailer according to claim l, whereinsaid load hoisting means includes a pair of motors and a cable drum foreach motor of said pair of motors and for each boom of said pair ofblooms.

8. A load carrying and handling trailer according to claim 1, whereinsaid load control means includes a motor and a cable drum.

9. A load carrying and handling trailer according to claim 1, whereinsaid stop means includes a platform having a pair of mutually spacedmounting hubs at one end and a load engaging element at the other endthereof.

10. A load transporting and handling trailer comprising a rectangularchassis, a plurality of ground wheels attached to and supporting saidchassis, load receiving and supporting means mounted on said chassis,said receiving and supporting means including a fixed front saddle and arotatable rear saddle, rotatably mounted front and rear stabilizingdevices mounted on the chassis for interconnecting the chassis with theground, means including a drive shaft in driving connection with saidstabilizing devices for actuating said stabilizing devices, a pair ofmutually spaced booms rotatably mounted on the chassis, jack mechanismspivotally connected to the chassis and to each of said booms foroperating said booms, means operatively connected to each of said jackmechanisms for actuating the mechanisms, a hoisting winch supported onthe chassis and cooperating with each of the booms, complementary pulleymeans attached to the load and positioned forwardly of the center ofgravity of fthe load, a first working cable operated by said hoistingwinch and interconnecting the pulley means on the booms and the pulleymeans on the load for hoisting the load from said front and rearsaddles, a load control winch supported on the chassis, a second workingcable operated by the load control winch and attached to the forward endof the load for controlling the position of the load after the load hasbeen hoisted from the front and rear saddles, stop means rotatablymounted on the chassis and movable in unison with the booms, and a stopelement carried by said stop means in engagement with one end of theload for preventing accidental displacement of the load during a loadtransporting operation.

11. A load carrying and handling trailer according to claim 10, whereinsaid jack mechanisms include a pair of supports pivotally mounted on thechassis, a rotatable sleeve carried by each of said supports, and a jackscrew in threaded engagement with each of said sleeves pivotallyconnected to each of the booms.

12. A load carrying and handling trailer according to claim 10, whereinsaid operating means includes a sprocket carried by each of the sleeves,a motor mounted on the chassis and having a driving sprocket carriedthereby, and a sprocket chain interconnecting the sprockets on thesleeves and the motor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS952,350 Peters Mar. 15, 1910 2,454,548 Brinkert NOV. 23, 1948 2,639,825Eakin May 26, 1953 2,701,649 Hallstrom Feb. 8, 1955 2,784,850 Batson etal Mar. 12, 1957

1. A LOAD CARRYING AND HANDLING TRAILER COMPRISING A RECTANGULARCHASSIS, A PLURALITY OF GROUND WHEELS ATTACHED TO AND SUPPORTING SAIDCHASSIS, LOAD RECEIVING AND SUPPORTING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID CHASSIS,STABILIZING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID CHASSIS FOR INTERCONNECTING THECHASSIS WITH THE GROUND, MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID STABILIZINGMEANS FOR ACTUATING THE STABILIZING MEANS FROM AN INITIAL POSITION TO ANOPERATING POSITION, A PAIR OF MUTUALLY SPACED BOOMS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ONTHE CHASSIS, SAID BOOMS BEING SPACED SO AS TO ACCOMMODATE THE LOADTHEREBETWEEN, JACK MEANS SUPPORTED ON THE CHASSIS AND CONNECTED TO SAIDBOOMS FOR OPERATING THE BOOMS, OPERATING MEANS FOR SAID JACK MEANS, LOADHOISTING MEANS SUPPORTED ON THE CHASSIS AND COOPERATING WITH EACH OF THEBOOMS, PULLEY MEANS CARRIED BY EACH OF THE BOOMS, COMPLEMENTARY PULLEYMEANS ATTACHED TO THE LOAD, A FIRST WORKING CABLE OPERATED BY SAIDHOISTING MEANS AND INTERCONNECTING THE PULLEY MEANS ON THE BOOMS AND THELOAD FOR HOISTING THE LOAD FROM SAID RECEIVING AND SUPPORTING